Amalric I of Jerusalem

Amalric I of Jerusalem (1136-11 July 1174) was the King of Jerusalem from 1163 to 1174, succeeding Baldwin III of Jerusalem and preceding Baldwin IV of Jerusalem.

Biography
Amaury de Gatinais-Anjou was the son of Fulk of Jerusalem and Melisende of Jerusalem. His brother Baldwin III of Jerusalem became king of Jerusalem in 1143 after the death of his father in a hunting accident, but Melisende refused to back down as regent. In 1151 Amalric was made Count of Jaffa, and he remained loyal to his mother. The two were besieged in the Tower of David at Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem, and he was forced to surrender. His brother became full king in 1152, and in 1153 Amalric was given the fortress of Ascalon after Baldwin and Bernard de Tremelay's capture of the city in the famous Siege of Ascalon. In 1163, on the death of Baldwin III, Amalric became the new King of Jerusalem. That year, Amalric strengthened Jerusalem's alliance with the Byzantine Empire and launched an invasion of the Fatimid Caliphate. He fought caliph Shawar and general Shirkuh in his campaign in Egypt, and although he took Alexandria in 1167, he was forced to return home soon after and retreated with a huge tribute taken from the Fatimids. In 1170, after Shirkuh seized power in January 1169 (but died soon after, succeeded by his nephew Salah ad-Din), the new Ayyubid Caliphate of Egypt advanced on Jerusalem. Amalric invaded Egypt again with Byzantine support, although his attempts to get European powers to support him failed. Amalric gained some reprieve as Nur ad-Din ("Zengi") fought against his vassal Saladin, who was now taking over The Turks' lands. Amalric died in 1174, the same year as Nur ad-Din, of dysentery. Baldwin IV of Jerusalem succeeded him.